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War of the Dead
The War of the Dead was a worldwide war that was triggered by the Supreme King's desire to control the planet. Through magic he discovered, the dead were raised to fight against the living in his bid to conquer mankind. Most of the events in The Rising are a consequence of the war. Prelude When Richard Thompson accidentally discovered The Source, he was granted access to the world's natural energy. Due to his exposure to magic, it brought forth his darker aspects of his personality. Upon returning home, he noticed he could manipulate the energies and began to practice and hone his abilities. The more powerful he became, the more he became to adopt a nihilistic philosophy. He believed that the weakness of mankind was that it was divided with too many people and governments vying for control. The solution to this would be to have all of mankind serve the one authority to avoid petty conflicts. Believing in this cause, Thompson attempted to use his magic to dominate the minds in an attempt to bring about his vision. To do this, he kidnapped people in his neighbourhood to conduct tests. The results from his tests were complete failures. In trying to dominate the minds of his victims, they remained completely unaffected by his burgeoning magic. Seething with anger, he lashed out and killed them. As he struck them down, he felt some of his magic inhabit the bodies. He started to channel more of his magic into the bodies until he was able to 'feel' the dead flesh. At his command, the bodies started to move and stand before him, completely in his thrall. This discovery thrilled Thompson and concluded that he could replicate this process and spread this undeath across the land and eventually cover the world. Outbreak Guided by his success, Thompson started to become more ambitious and convert victims of his town into more undead until the small town was completely devoid of life. With no one else left to raise into undeath, he took his growing army to a nearby town and attacked it by surprise at night. The result was a massacre, leaving an entire town full of bodies for Thompson to reanimate and bolster his army. As law enforcement and people interested in the disappearances traveled the attacked towns, they found them completely empty. Unbeknownst to them, Thompson never stayed at the same place and kept on the move at all times. Although searches were conducted, no one could find the missing townspeople. As he continued to travel from town to town, he came across a man that stood out from all of his other victims. In this man, he saw a magical potential that he hadn't encountered before. As he killed him and raised him into undeath, Thompson willed a certain amount of intelligence and freedom into the man that he hadn't allowed in any of his undead slaves before. As the man stood before Thompson, he had retained all of his personality and traits while also bestowed with the ability to use magic. This man was Jordan Black, to be known eventually as the very first Archyte. With a servant that could think and act on his own, yet still be bound to his will, Thompson had found the perfect means to spread further and faster in his campaign to eradicate mankind. With Jordan under his control, the two managed to move faster to convert more of the living into undead. At his master's request, Jordan attempted to use the bodies buried in graveyards as a means to greatly increase their numbers. Although Jordan had managed to utilise a certain amount of his magical potential, he couldn't reanimate all of the bodies, feeling his magic dissipate too quickly before it could take root. As the ever growing army made it's way closer to Melbourne, they came across Alistair Salders who Thompson could feel had an enormous magical potential. Thompson subsequently killed him and raised him into undeath to be like Jordan. With two powerful servants at his command, and an army that now numbered in the thousands, Thompson believed it was time to attack Melbourne and secure a major victory. Forcing their compliance, Alistair and Jordan concocted a plan to lay siege to Melbourne in the most effective way. With their forces spread across the city, Alistair initiated the attack at night by raising numerous corpses from the graveyard and sent them to attack the city, killing everyone in their path. Caught by surprise, the devastation that the undead unleashed was a massacre. Hundreds of thousands died in the chaos and were subsequently brought back. Now with a full sized army, Thompson, styling himself as the Supreme King, declared all out war against mankind. March of the Dead With the world having seen the catastrophe that afflicted Melbourne, each country began to fortify itself but offered little support in taking the city back. Knowing that word had spread, the Supreme King ordered his forces push onward to claim more land. This proved nearly disastrous as the military were sent to retake Melbourne from the undead. With most of his forces scattered, the undead engaged in a vicious fight to hold onto the city. It was only through Alistair and Jordan's efforts that the military were eventually repelled. With his army spreading forward, the Supreme King, at Alistair's request, gathered individuals who held promise or appealed to him in other ways to turn them into Archytes and Necromancers. Among these individuals were Regina Davis, Ryan Walters and Sonja Emmerson. With more intelligent and powerful servants to further his cause, Thompson left the tactics and means of which to conquer the world to the Archytes, growing increasingly reliant on them. Having been defeated by the undead in Melbourne and besieged all across the land, the government and military attempted bolster their strength so that they could withstand the growing number of undead. It was suggested by Major General Amanda Turner that specifically designed fortresses be created that would house civilians while also providing excellent defensive capabilities. Various forts were constructed across the country in the face of a massing undead army. Global Cataclysm While the Supreme King was pleased with the progress in Australia, he turned his eyes to the rest of the world that was preparing for his assault. Desiring to conquer them, and also fearing reprisal, he placed Necromancers with fleeing refugees from Australia so that they may spread undeath to every corner of the world. Asia Once the Necromancers were situated in Japan, China, Thailand and India, their efforts to wage war against the living for the Supreme King were incredibly successful. With such high levels of population, they were able to quickly raise an army. Major cities were caught in a bloody battle saw each country's respective armies fight the undead to a stalemate while trying to gather survivors and strengthen outlying towns. The Supreme King eventually appointed Yusuke Fukumoto as the Archyte in charge of conquering Asia. Americas Europe Unlike the Americas and most countries in Asia, the European countries had prepared vast and intricate defences to combat the undead legions. The Necromancers that were sent to Europe found that their efforts were hindered by all bodies in cemeteries being cremated and strict controls on movement. Regardless, the successes in Asia provided the Necromancers enough of an army to overwhelm the defences of Eastern Europe. This allowed the Necromancers to gain a foothold in Europe but have been met with fierce resistance. The twins Vanessa and Jonas Schultz were elevated to being Archytes and continued the campaign to progress further into Europe. Africa Middle East Domination Within only a year, the undead had established strongholds on every continent, except for Antarctica. With humans slowly having to cede territory and the undead hounding them day and night, the various Archytes consolidated their power within their citadels as they realised that the war would drag on for years. With supplies and manpower dwindling, the human factions were constantly trying to improve their tactics, develop new ways at fighting the undead and searching for more survivors. Desiring an end to mankind once and for all, the Supreme King grew frustrated with the continued resistance against his rule. Once the Archytes had fully entrenched themselves, he demanded their full attention to the war. Rise of the United Defence Protectorate Believing that the strategies of his superiors to be ineffective, Craig Peterson convinced like-minded people that wanted to go on the offensive against the undead to break away from the rest of the human factions. With an army of his own, he called his forces the United Defence Protectorate. Through his leadership, the UDP took an aggressive approach against the undead through using guerrilla tactics. They would often fight in areas heavily populated by the undead and took it upon themselves fight the undead in ways that the rest of the human factions could not bring themselves to do. Because of their acts, they were seen as brave, strong and fearless. However they were also considered to be a rogue branch of the human faction with many of its members being unstable. Dark Night Concerned about the marshalling forces of the undead near Fort Tyson, the UDP made a multiple pronged attack against the undead. Their goal was the separate the swarming undead to both reduce their numbers and also to give the defenders of Fort Tyson to prepare for the assault. Their plan worked flawlessly with the undead army splintering to give chase to the UDP who were able to ambush a large number of undead and destroy them. Following their victory, they stopped by an encampment to celebrate during the night. Although enjoying the celebrations, Peterson took some of his men scouting. Those remaining became drunk and dangerous, bullying the people at the encampment to provide them with whatever they need. As the night progressed, they got more aggressive and even threatening people. Their actions cultivated in beating those who defied them. Trying to fight back, Erica McMillan became their new target and proceeded to beat her and eventually rape her. By the end of the night, Erica barely survived the brutality, lying in a pool of blood and her friends having fled from the wrath of the UDP. Peterson returned, horrified at what had happened, but failed to punish his men knowing that he needed the numbers and fearing that they would all turn on each other if he were to act. Although he knew that Erica could reveal what had happened to the rest of the human factions, he chose to leave her alone, sure that she would not be able to survive her wounds. By morning, the UDP left the encampment to continue their crusade. Capturing a Necromancer Enjoying months of success, the UDP were often given information from survivors fleeing the horror. One particular piece of information that Peterson found of great importance was that the undead were building a new bastion that was hidden by the outlying forests and overseen by a powerful Necromancer. Using all of the speed available to them, the UDP raced to confront the unsuspecting undead force. Believing that the team sent to oversee the construction of the bastion to be woefully inadequate, Peterson commanded his forces to attack them and destroy all traces of the bastion. As the battle proceeded, Peterson was proven right with the undead fraying and unable to match the UDP's strength. Eventually the Necromancer, Ryan Walters, was forced to reveal himself but he too was unable to repel them, his magic, although strong, was insufficient to stop them. This was the victory Peterson had longed for; capturing a Necromancer who he believed was weak enough to torture and pry information from. Taking Ryan back to his base, Peterson began to extract information from him. He was stopped when he was contacted through Ryan by Alistair who proposed a trade: Ryan for Alistair. Peterson initially refused outright, believing it to be just a trap, but Alistair baited Peterson by claiming he was the one responsible for the Melbourne Massacre and was in control of the undead. With such a deal, Peterson couldn't refuse the opportunity to take revenge on the one that had brought ruination upon mankind. Despite a few objections, Peterson agreed provided that Alistair come to him, alone. Downfall Eventually Alistair arrived and confronted the UDP. Although he agreed to surrendering, he held a large number of his forces in reserve in case Ryan was not released, a fact that Alistair was all too happy to reveal. Although Peterson had no intention of letting Ryan go, he conceded that taking Alistair captive was far more critical than keeping Ryan. With the trade completed, the undead retreated with Ryan leaving Alistair at the mercy of the UDP. Back at base, while many in the UDP celebrated the capture of the one who had started the war, Peterson wasted no time in wishing to execute him. After a brief questioning, to which Alistair enraged him by claiming killing him will mean nothing, Peterson killed him. Thinking that the war was over, they investigated and found that the undead were still fully active. Realising he had been tricked, Peterson began to plan his next moves. A few days later, while making preparation, the UDP were attacked by the undead that quickly outmaneuvered and enclosed around the UDP. Defeated, the surviving UDP forces were brought before Alistair and Erica to the shock of everyone. In truth, Alistair, who had feared for Ryan's well-being, made the exchange for two reasons: Alistair could not be permanently killed as he had anchored his soul and would simply regenerate once the inevitable execution occurred and he would discover where the UDP were located. Furthermore, Alistair's forces had found a frail Erica who immediately surrendered. Alistair had met with her where she told him of her experiences with the UDP and desired revenge for what was done, to which Alistair agreed. With one move, the UDP had gone from a powerful renegade faction to existing only through a handful of survivors who fled to Fort Tyson. Erica was able to take revenge on those who tormented her while Alistair brutally executed all but Peterson, who was made to suffer and be twisted into something unrecognisable. Assault on Fort Tyson Fort Sentinel Rebellion